The Kiwi franchise this week announced the launch of a football finishing school set to kick-off this June in the New Zealand capital designed to underpin the club's first team squad.

In a similar approach to the Nike Academy in London, Phoenix will unearth eight unsigned talented amateurs 20 years of age or younger who will be funded to live, study and train in Wellington with Herbert’s A-League squad.

The players will also enjoy game time all-year round. In winter they will line up for Team Wellington, a club that plays in the New Zealand ASB Premiership, a competition featuring teams such as the powerful Auckland City.

These players will also play for Phoenix in midweek friendlies against various squads around the country during the summer A-League season.

“We’re going to build this club,” Herbert told au.fourfourtwo.com. “We’ve never had an academy and players coming through and chances for young domestic players to be part of it.

“It’s going to happen this year and I’m really excited about the future."

This new pathway goes some way to making up for Phoenix not being allowed to field a Phoenix NYL team – a decidedly sore point with the board and coaching staff over the last five years.

Phoenix first team player Chris Greenacre is expected to play a major role in this new academy structure.

And the successful All-Whites World Cup 2010 coach, who is plotting another World Cup appearance for his nation at Brazil 2014, has only to look at Central Coast and Brisbane Roar for inspiration.

The Mariners won the NYL and have a very young first team squad with talented players coming through. Likewise the Roar.

“Look at those teams who are in the major semi finals," said Herbert. "They’ve got some great kids coming through and they’ve done a great job of bringing these younger players on.

“If we can be part of that… we’ve never had a chance to be a part of that and maybe we can be a little better as a club, too."

Meanwhile Herbert refused to discuss speculation that he was one of the coaches being looked at for the vacant Sydney FC post.

Instead, he said, the focus was on making football as big as it can be in New Zealand via the success of Phoenix, who finished fourth this season making that a third consecutive finals appearance.

He added: “We’re very proud and very passionate and we’ve worked really hard to make a difference in our country,.

In other news, Phoenix are reportedly looking to fund a W-League team, to take advantage of the growing success New Zealand women's national teams have enjoyed in recent times.